The present invention pertains to access to data in a database and pertains particularly to use of a shared drive that provides shared access to editable files in a database.
Shared drives have been used by small teams to collaboratively work on files prior to publishing. What is meant by a shared drive is a storage entity (such as a hard drive or a matrix of hard drives) to which numerous users have access. For example, several users on separate personal computers (PC) may have access through a local area network (LAN) to a single shared drive.
The use of a shared drive has many advantages. For example, use of shared drives allows file locking and direct editing by each individual of the team. The current revision of a document is automatically accessed by each team member. Also, access to a file on a shared drive via a local area network makes it unnecessary to upload and download copies from a web server.
There are some disadvantages to using a shared drive. For example, only those with shared drive access can view or edit the files. Adding and removing access to a shared drive is typically labor intensive or else control is inadequate. Also, the directory structure in a shared drive is typically uncontrolled and there is limited indexing of, or metadata associated with, the files contained therein. Finally, when web publishing is desired, often the file must be uploaded to the web server as a separate action.
Traditional web publishing systems impose structure and allow for required indexing of files. They also provide worldwide, controlled access if desired. However, most of these systems require that files are uploaded to the server and do not support editing in place nor file locking. Users collaborating on a document must use care that they are working on the most recent revision of a document or risk overwriting changes made by another.
A direct publishing system implemented, for example, with the FrontPage publishing system available from Microsoft Corporation, provides direct web publishing of files on a shared drive. Such a publishing system suffers from access being limited to editing by users with access to the shared drive. Such a publishing system imposes no indexing control on file content and must be implemented with proprietary applications and limited equipment choices.
With all currently available web publishing systems that provide direct editing of published files, control of who can access and edit files is limited. If it is desired that one standard set of team members can edit all files then an existing publishing system may provide an adequate solution. However, if more flexibility is required so that various combinations of users desire control of viewing and editing capabilities, currently available solutions become cumbersome requiring multiple shared drives and multiple access lists.
Another shortcoming in currently available publishing systems that use shared drives is that as files are modified, the history of earlier versions is lost.